Heavy In Your Arms
by HaloHunter89
Summary: Carol could hear them as she ran her vision blurring from the near constant stream of tears that were escaping. Heart pounding as hard as her feet along the concrete she ran for everything she was worth weaving in and around the corridors of the prison. It was like a labyrinth set up to tangle and confuse her - trapping her.


**So I'm not even supposed to be out of bed via doctors orders but this has been in my head for days now. I have been obsessively thinking about it and can't cut my mind off. I had to write it. Had to. This is an entry for EnglishPoet18's writing challenge. I hope what was in my head comes through this clear. It has a disjointed feeling to go with the theme here. I hope you all enjoy this.**

**Italics is their thoughts.**

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><p>Carol could hear them as she ran her vision blurring from the near constant stream of tears that were escaping. Heart pounding as hard as her feet along the concrete she ran for everything she was worth weaving in and around the corridors of the prison. It was like a labyrinth set up to tangle and confuse her - trapping her. At the thought of being trapped she felt panic rise in her making her breathe harder without really getting more oxygen.<p>

Breathing hard she forced herself to swipe at her eyes when she couldn't hear them anymore. She couldn't hear him anymore. He had sacrificed himself for her. Carol felt her chest start to rise with a sob and swallowed around the lump in her throat. A deep seated fear crashed through her body like a tidal wave bringing with it a panic like none other. For the first time since the farm a fear like nothing she had experienced besides when Sophia had ran over that hill was chasing her.

_Where are the others? Where is he? Please let them be safe - let him be safe._

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><p>Daryl stood staring at the empty cell block just as the sounds of sirens blared through the air. Shaking his head trying to clear the fog there his eyes swept again, searching for any sign of her- anything to let him know she was there. He refused to believe she was gone, this shit of a world wasn't that cruel. She was the only good thing he'd ever had. He couldn't lose her too, not to it - not to this.<p>

Rick was talking to him but he wasn't sure really even what he was saying. He knew Lori, Maggie, Carl, and T-dogg were missing too but his mind was lost on a infinite track of Carol. His heart was a heavy one to carry and he felt his pace pick up at the hope that she was there waiting on him.

Daryl's heart thundered so hard he was sure he was having a heart attack as he looked at the scarf in his hand. Bile was rising quickly in his throat. Swallowing thickly his eyes went back to the man who lay dead. T-dogg but no Carol - just her scarf. Daryl looked at the man again vowing to come back and give him the burial he deserved.

Walking letting his mind race his heart that was trying to beat his ribs to death. Daryl studied the prison around him. She had to be here. If there was no sign she died then he knew Carol would still be there, she was a survivor. She couldn't leave, not now.

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><p>Carol blinked her eyes having adjusted to the darkness. It didn't make being trapped any easier but she would take what she could get. Swallowing around the thickness in her throat that was like poison her eyes went to the small crack in the door. Pushing again Carol grunted but wasn't able to move the body that was blocking it.<p>

Slipping her hand out Carol tried to grab the knife but it was just out of her reach. Collapsing back against the wall she felt her eyes water again. She couldn't leave now, not like this. It took the world ending for things to be right for her. Part of her wanted to go- wanted to be with her little girl but she knew her baby girl would never want to see her die before her time. Daryl would never want that either. He wasn't a quitter. He would fight until he couldn't, he would fight till he was dead and never think about quitting.

Moving slowly feeling fatigue setting in Carol pushed against the door harder but wasn't able to budge the body. She wasn't going to give up. If this was her penance then she'd fight till her last breath. Pulling on some of the strength that the thought of Daryl fighting gave her she pushed herself harder. Sob tearing from her throat Carol forced herself to think about anything but the small space that was now her own tomb.

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><p>Daryl glared down at the walker that was laying dead and done. Ripping Carol's knife from it's head he felt like he was going to puke again. He hadn't allowed the thoughts that were pressing to really penetrate until now. Holding her knife made things more surreal. She couldn't defend herself without it. If more of those dead bastards were after her she would be defenseless.<p>

Breathing hard as his world crashed in shattered fragments around him Daryl leaned hard into the wall and slid down dropping harshly. Glaring at the cell door that thumped into the body of the fallen walker Daryl looked down to her knife again. The scarf and knife were the only things he had left of her. He couldn't even find her to bury her. Flinching at the thought of burying her Daryl glared before closing his eyes against everything and leaned his head back.

_Don't you say goodbye, not you too._

Breathing harder Daryl slammed the knife into the ground in front of him. He should have worked with her more, got her more ready to defend herself when everything else failed and she only had herself. When he failed.

Something he wasn't so use to crept up on him like when he'd been a child. A deep roiling fear worked its way through him like all those times he watched Merle head out on his bike to not come back leaving him. This was so much worse. This was Carol, his Carol.

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><p>Carol pressed her hand into the door hearing something but unsure. She pressed again watching the beam of light show through just enough to hit her leg. Her throat was so dry that calling out was pointless. She was never going to get to say goodbye, she was never going to see his face again.<p>

She should have told him. He'd made it clear how he felt about her but she had panicked when he'd told her and held back. Now she was going to die and he'd go on thinking she hadn't loved him just as much.

Closing her eyes and pushing against the door again as she heard the scrape of something. Bringing his face into focus and her little girls Carol let herself imagine how things would have been had she met Daryl outside of this world. Outside of the walkers but before things got bad.

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><p>Daryl glared at the door again and stood swiftly. He'd searched high and low and there was no sign. NONE. Snarling something under his breath at the dead fuck begging to get knifed he jerked the body away from the door. Turning the knife in his hands Daryl pulled the door open.<p>

Light washed over the dark cell and their hearts jumped. Fear washing away at the sight of each other Daryl leaned down swiftly and Carol brought her hand up to Daryl's face. Rubbing her hand along his scruff at the very real feel of it she smiled.

Carol went to speak but nothing came out. Daryl moved closer to her his arms going around and lifting her swiftly. He looked tired and worn- she knew she was heavy in his arms but he didn't seem to care a bit. Feet never touching the ground he was moving quickly while her arms went around his neck her fingers catching the hair at the nape of his neck. Carol leaned into his solid chest feeling his heart racing against her body. His arms tightened around her as he neared the cell block but that was fine cause hers did him too.

Licking her lips and calling on anything she could Carol looked up at him. Hand on his cheek she turned his head meeting his eyes, "I love you, Daryl."


End file.
